Training & Nutrition - How close to a ride do you eat?

Just curious if other people time their eating. When I run I try not to eat for 1.5-2hrs before a run, with riding it seems like I am fine if I eat 30min beforehand (meaning no cramps and not feeling sick). Just curious what other people have for opinions on this.

I'm usually eating on my way out the door. But it does depend on the ride.

I wait at least one hour for weekend rides. For weekdays, I ride before going to work, so its early before 6 am. No food, just water. Those weekday morning rides are between 15 to 20 miles.

I think it depends on age too. The older the more time it takes the body to work, like digestion. There were times when I didn't have enough time gap and I got partial food coming up.

2 to 3 hours before is good. If you can't eat that far in advance, then about 15 minutes before or at the start is good. You just don't want to be in the middle of your post-eating blood sugar down-cycle when you start riding.

I'll eat right up to and during the ride. Doesn't really matter to me. However, I don't eat a full meal beforehand, just about 1/2 meal and eat the rest on the bike.

when running i find it best to eat at least an hour prior.

when cycling it doesnt really seem to effect me either way.

later.

Well I ride in the morning so wake up eat, and out of the door I go. Doesn't seem to make any difference, but then again I am not stuffing myself.

Just curious if other people time their eating. When I run I try not to eat for 1.5-2hrs before a run, with riding it seems like I am fine if I eat 30min beforehand (meaning no cramps and not feeling sick). Just curious what other people have for opinions on this.


Nothing beats eating a proper meal 2-3 hours prior to a workout, but for early morning or time critical rides/runs/gym work outs were I don’t have a lot of time to eat a good meal, I’ve been experimenting with liquid meals. For instance, for me it means I’m up at 0530, toss back a liquid meal with a piece of fruit or power bar and then I’m out the door by 0600. You really don’t want to work out on an empty stomach after a 6-10 sleep period or a big gap of time during the day were you don’t eat anything mid day because your were too busy to eat right. Anaerobic efforts will deplete any glycogen levels you have very quickly and your workouts will be half *****. The key word here is “EXPERIMENT”…Some liquid shakes are easier on the stomach than others. For me a combo protein/complex carbohydrate set up works great. I don’t get that empty feeling after a few hours on the bike. Also you want to be eating during your ride if it’s over an hour long. I love riding with guys that say they don’t eat anything when they ride and they start bonking 2 hours into a hard effort. Good luck out there.:)

Out the door I can be eating. I ride so much these days that this question is kinda like "How soon before lunch do you eat?" If I'm doing really intense (make you puke) intervals, I'll eat solid food 15-20 minutes before heading out the door, and power gel during the warmup.

I eat right up to when I get on the bike. Then I often eat while I'm on the bike. Actually, it seems I eat most of the time. Must be an avian thing... :)

I eat right up to when I get on the bike. Then I often eat while I'm on the bike.


That's what you are supposed to do.

If I ate 2-3 hours before a ride, and then nothing between that meal and my ride, I'd probably faint from hunger about 15 minutes into my ride. I do eat 2-3 hours before my rides ... and then again about an hour after that, and again about an hour after that, and again right before my ride, and again about 30 minutes into my ride ...... etc. etc.

Also, when my rides start at 3 or 4 am, I eat the night before, then knock back an Ensure (which is all I can stomach at 1:30 am), and then start eating solid food on the bicycle.

Like I said, it depends on the ride.

no eating 2-3 hours before races, except for fluids and gel. regular eating before training and commuting rides.

2-3 hours before if full breakfast, ESPECIALLY if coffee is included. otherwise 1 hr before for light meal prior with no caffeine. Alway eat ON the ride if over 1 hr. (most every ride)

I really need 1.5 to 2 hours before rolling out. Part of the issue is that many of my rides start out of the house with a 2.5 mile hill. It isnt steep at 5% avg. but it gets the heart rate up a little and too close to eating just doesn't feel right. I can eat and ride if it is a more gentle start though....

Eat as I'm walking out the door. Mostly - Peanut butter and honey sandwich, chased with an espresso.


http://www.bicitreregioni.com

Almost everybody said the same thing about eating something before a ride which I totally agree with. I always tell myself that the body need to burn something during the ride. My only problem with eating right before a ride is I have a tendency to poop what I just ate which in turn makes the whole group stop and wait while I do my thing at a gas station!!

So what I do (if I have time) is eat before sitting on the throne. This happens very rarely and most of the time the only thing in my system before a ride is a banana or powerbar.

Any suggestions? Sorry to hijack the thread but since we're in the topic, I might as well. There could be others who's in the same predicament as I am and benefit any suggestions.

Accession Number 2005029643 NLM Unique Identifier: 15235331.
Special Fields Contained Fields available in this record: abstract.
Author Saunders MJ. Kane MD. Todd MK.
Institution School of Kinesiology and Recreation Studies, MSC 2302, James Madison University,
Title Effects of a carbohydrate-protein beverage on cycling endurance and muscle damage.
Source Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2004 Jul; 36(7): 1233-8. (21 ref)
Abbreviated Source MED SCI SPORTS EXERC. 2004 Jul; 36(7): 1233-8. (21 ref)


Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine whether endurance cycling performance and postexercise muscle damage were altered when consuming a carbohydrate and protein beverage (CHO+P; 7.3% and 1.8% concentrations) versus a carbohydrate-only (CHO; 7.3%) beverage. METHODS: Fifteen male cyclists (mean (.-)VO(2peak) = 52.6 +/- 10.3 mL x kg x min) rode a cycle ergometer at 75% (.-)VO(2peak) to volitional exhaustion, followed 12 - 15 h later by a second ride to exhaustion at 85% (.-)VO(2peak). Subjects consumed 1.8 mL x kg BW of randomly assigned CHO or CHO+P beverage every 15 min of exercise, and 10 mL x kg BW immediately after exercise. Beverages were matched for carbohydrate content, resulting in 20% lower total caloric content per administration of CHO beverage. Subjects were blinded to treatment beverage and repeated the same protocol seven to 14 d later with the other beverage. RESULTS: In the first ride (75% (.-)VO(2peak)), subjects rode 29% longer (P < 0.05) when consuming the CHO+P beverage (106.3 +/- 45.2 min) than the CHO beverage (82.3 +/- 32.6 min). In the second ride (85% (.-)VO(2peak)), subjects performed 40% longer when consuming the CHO+P beverage (43.6 +/- 12.5 min) than when consuming the CHO beverage (31.2 +/- 8.7 min). Peak postexercise plasma CPK levels, indicative of muscle damage, were 83% lower after the CHO+P trial (216.3 +/- 122.0 U x L) than the CHO trial (1318.1 +/- 1935.6 U x L). There were no significant differences in exercising levels of (.-)VO(2), ventilation, heart rate, RPE, blood glucose, or blood lactate between treatments in either trial. CONCLUSION: A carbohydrate beverage with additional protein calories produced significant improvements in time to fatigue and reductions in muscle damage in endurance athletes. Further research is necessary to determine whether these effects were the result of higher total caloric content of the CHO+P beverage or due to specific protein-mediated mechanisms.

Eat as I'm walking out the door. Mostly - Peanut butter and honey sandwich, chased with an espresso.


http://www.bicitreregioni.com

Sounds like a perfect meal (seriously)!

3 hours for me. IF it is an early ride I do not eat until the start when I will start with Hammer Gel. Heed every 10-15 minutes during the ride and if it is over 90 minutes I also use Perpetuem. Sounds crazy, but I've done my last two centuries this way. No solid food at all.

Big breakfast 2 hours before, bannana about 30 min to an hour before. Gell on the way out the door. Gells enduralites, perpetuem & fig newtons on self suported rides. So far works for rides up to nine hours.

2-3 hours before if full breakfast, ESPECIALLY if coffee is included. otherwise 1 hr before for light meal prior with no caffeine. Alway eat ON the ride if over 1 hr. (most every ride)

i think you put your coffee in thw rong place! it'll have been and gone by then.

i eat 3-4hours before if its a good meal (2g cho per kilo)
less tah 2hrs is 1g choper kilo low fiber and low fat
1 hour before its a snack